Question Summary:
In Jamaica we bleach our hair for colour. Is it permissible?

Question Detail:

In Jamaica we bleach our hair for colour. Is it permissible? and can we use any hair colour in our hair once it is not black?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu `alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle it is permissible to dye or bleach ones hair any colour besides black, on condition that no impure ingredient is in the dye.
Consider the following ahadith :-
(i)                “…..  At that time I noticed that a few hair of Rasulullah  (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) were red.” (Shamaail Tirmidi page 4 (Saeed)) Imam Tirmidi says this is the most correct and closest to using a dye.

(ii)              “.....  Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallahu Anhu) was asked if Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) use a dye for his hair. He replied, Yes.” (ibid)
 
(iii)            “.... I saw Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) coming out of the house after he had taken a bath and was stroking his hair. There were signs of henna on his mubarak head.” (ibid)
 
It is deduced from the above that one may dye or bleach ones hair. This could be any colour besides pure black
It is stated in Ahadith:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ الْجَزَرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَكُونُ قَوْمٌ يَخْضِبُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ بِالسَّوَادِ، كَحَوَاصِلِ الْحَمَامِ، لَا يَرِيحُونَ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ
Rasulullah (Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam) said: A time will come when a nation will apply black dye, as the body of a pigeon, they will not be able to smell the fragrance of Jannah.[2]
 وحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ: أُتِيَ بِأَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ وَرَأْسُهُ وَلِحْيَتُهُ كَالثَّغَامَةِ بَيَاضًا، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: غَيِّرُوا هَذَا بِشَيْءٍ، وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ
It is reported that Hazrat Jābir (Radiyallahu anha) said:  Abu Quhāfah was brought to Rasulullah (Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam) on the day when Makkah was conquered while his hair and beard were white as thagāmah (name of a white plant)upon that Rasulullah (Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam) said: change this with something else and abstain from the usage of black.[3]
However, it is permissible to use mixed dye that looks like black.
 While it is permissible for males and females to dye their hair any colour besides black, one should avoid using such colours as are commonly used by sinful and flagrant transgressors (faasiqs).
It should be noted that it is not permissible for women to expose their hair in public.
And Allah knows best.
 
Mawlana Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Westmoreland, Jamaica, West Indies
Student Darul Iftaa
 
Checked and Approved
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
daruliftaa.net
 
[2]  سنن أبي داود 4/ 87 المكتبة العصرية، صيدا بيروت
[3]  صحيح مسلم 3/ 1663 دار إحياء التراث العربي بيروت